Anna May Wong

A prominent British society and celebrity photographer, Dorothy Wilding ran a successful portrait practice for nearly 40 years. Her busy studios in London and New York attracted many stars of stage and film, such as Anna May Wong, who sat for her several times. Born in Los Angeles as Wong Liu Tsong, Wong was the first Chinese American movie star. She began her film career during the silent era, emigrating to Europe in the late 1920s to move beyond the stereotypical supporting roles Hollywood offered. Wilding later recalled of Wong, “When I lifted her hands to ‘drape’ them, they were so fragile that one felt one was holding the most delicate snowdrops.” This photograph was taken around the time that Wong’s mother had died in a tragic car accident, and may have served not as a typical publicity photograph, but rather as a portrait of grief.